Life Goes On
by Bobbie1
Summary: This follows the "Falling" episode. Things haven't been good for Bosco and there are a few people he needs to talk to. One conversation surprises him and leads him a face to face meeting with someone from his past.
1. Default Chapter

It'd been a long time since I'd really felt like myself. That thought ought to send shivers through some people. Just finding that statement to be humorous says a lot. A month ago I was too pissed at the world to find humor in anything. Seriously though, after all that'd happened, I was finally beginning to understand why I'd been in the state I was in. Heck I'd even go so far as to admit that my partner was right. What else could Faith have done but suggest that I needed counseling. It's funny, six months ago if someone had asked me who I am, I'd have told them 'I'm a cop'. Officer Boscorelli was a big part of who I was, or who I thought I was. For a while there, I wasn't so sure.  
  
They say at some point everyone grows up. For me that was the day I stopped being mad at Faith for the whole counseling thing. What else could I do? Faith was my best friend and as much as I was afraid to admit it, I needed her. I needed my best friend back. She was the only person who I could talk to. I only hoped that she'd listen; that she wouldn't close the door in my face. My fears were put to rest as soon as she opened the door. We talked that night. I mean we really talked, although I did most of the talking. Everything just seemed to flow...  
  
Now that I look back I can see how it had happened. What felt like a blur a month ago is somewhat clearer. First there was September 11th, then I was shot. Faith's ordeal with cancer soon followed and for the first time since we became partners, she shut me out. I was pissed. How could she shut me out of something so important? Finally there was everything with Hobart. Nowhere in my life's script did it say "deal with things". So, I didn't deal with things. Not at all. Until that that night with my best friend....with Faith.  
  
tbc 


	2. Life Goes On2

The moment I stepped outside Faith's door that night, I knew things were different. Different as in good different. So much had happened over the past months...I'd shut down inside, blocking out the world. I'd shut out a lot of people who I now knew cared about what happened to me...Faith and Sully being just two. Most importantly, I'd shut out my ma. I'd hurt her and I knew it. They say, whoever 'they' are, that a mother's love in unconditional. I was about to find out.  
  
I drove to ma's bar where I found her sitting out front, almost as if she were expecting me. The bar was quiet, except for a few party-goers in the back. I ignored them taking a seat next to ma.  
  
She immediately got up, went behind the bar, grabbed a glass and a bottle of beer, setting them on the counter in front of me. We sat in there for what seemed like forever; a couple beers and the silence being the only things we had in common.  
  
"I'm sorry ma," I finally said, not looking her in the eye.  
  
She forgave me for the lack of eye contact. I guess its true that mothers just know things.  
  
"Are you alright?" she finally asked.  
  
I replied with a simple 'yeah'. After a minute to think, I figured I owed her more of an explanation than that.  
  
"I talked to Faith tonight," I explained as she turned, placing her hand on mine. "I think we're going to be okay." I don't know what it was but for some reason just the idea that I'd talked to Faith seemed to make her feel better. Must be some kind of a mother connection.  
  
"You worried me Maurice," she added unexpectedly. "I was watching the TV when those buildings came down. I thought I'd lost you."  
  
"I'm fine ma, really," I tried to reassure her.  
  
"Now, but what about then?" she countered. "You should have called me."  
  
If I'd learned anything as a result of these past months, I knew it was pointless to argue, especially when it's with someone I care about.  
  
"You're right ma," I agreed with her. "I'm sorry."  
  
Maybe that was all she needed to hear from me or maybe she was just surprised that I didn't argue with her. Either way, I knew that just like me and Faith, ma and I were going to be okay.  
  
I sat there awhile longer, talking with ma. The conversation took a surprising turn at one point. I realized that there was one more person I needed to talk to that night. Maybe more for ma than for myself. Then again, maybe for the both of us. 


	3. Life Goes On 3

I went to ma's bar to talk. After leaving Faith's, I had a lot on my mind. A lot of things I needed to say. I think I surprised Faith when I showed up at her door. After all that'd happened, she probably didn't think I wanted to talk to her. Hell, for a while there she was right. Why waste my time talking my partner anyway. Especially since she was the one who thought I needed to be talking to a shrink.  
  
Apparently I wasn't the only one who'd been talking. Looking back, I realize that ma and I never did talk about 9/11. It was just one subject we didn't discuss. What was the point? I'm a cop. Ma hates me being a cop. She's worried that I'm going to get killed on my job; that she'll outlive me. September 11th, a lot of people died. A lot of firefighters...and a lot of cops. I wasn't one of them...something I still don't understand. A lot of those cops and firefighters had families; people waiting for them at home. Me, I got nobody. Nobody's waiting for me to come home at night.  
  
Not to say that nobody cares about me. Some people do, like ma and Faith. Those two got a lot in common. No matter how much I piss 'em off, they're still there. Not everyone's like that. Some people I've pissed off enough that they'd just assume never see my face again. But one person surprised me.  
  
On September 11th, when the towers collapsed, ma was sitting in front of the TV watching it all. Watching it and worrying. Worrying that I wasn't going to be coming home that night. That night, I was a cop, a New York City cop, and I had a job to do.  
  
But she hadn't been the only one worrying about me. While I was out there being a NYC cop, someone else was sitting with my ma. That someone else lives on the other side of the door I'm standing in front of.  
  
tbc 


	4. Life Goes On 4

I wasn't sure what kind of response I would get once that door was opened. Let's just say the last time we talked, it didn't go all that well.  
  
There was no answer. I rang the doorbell again.... giving up, I had just turned to leave when I heard my name...  
  
I stopped, stood there for a moment, then turned around.  
  
"Hey," I said, not knowing what else to say. I waited to see what kind of response I would get. What happened next surprised me. She put her arms around my neck, pulling me to her as we hugged one another....Nicole and me...who would have thought? It was nothing like the times we'd spent together before. When we finally let go one another, I saw a small smile on her face, almost like she was apologizing for something...why I didn't know.  
  
"You want to come in?" she asked. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all. The place hadn't changed much since I was last there.  
  
"I, uh, I talked to ma tonight," I said, getting right to the point. "I just wanted to say thanks...thanks for being there for her." From the look on her face, I could tell she knew what I was talking about.  
  
"Believe it or not, I think she was there for me as much as I was for her. Deep down, she really is a strong person."  
  
I didn't respond, still caught up in being there, seeing her, and that hug. We both sat down, she sat in the chair across from me. She was the first one to talk. When I realized what she was talking about, I let her continue without interrupting.  
  
"When the planes crashed into the towers, I had no idea what to do. Somehow I made it to my parent's home. I was sitting there, all alone, watching the news. Thousands of people were missing...among the missing were firefighters and police officers. I was in shock. Despite everything that'd happened, I still worried about you. I kept trying to call you...I just wanted to know if you were okay. Of course the phones weren't working...eventually I thought of Angela. If something had happened to you, I figured she would know. It took hours to get to your mom's bar. When I finally got there, she was sitting in front of the TV, just staring at it. I called her name a few times but she just kept staring at the TV. Finally, I sat down on the barstool next to her and took her hand in mine. I could tell from the look in her eyes that she didn't know anything. We sat there for hours, watching the TV. Sometimes we talked; other times it was very quiet. Too quiet. At some point, I tried my phone and found it was working. I dialed my father's phone number. He answered on the second ring. I don't remember what all was said except that I asked if he could call someone. I needed to find out if you were alright."  
  
"You called your father to find out about me?" I had asked.  
  
"Yeah, crazy huh? I remembered him talking about playing golf with some Chiefs or Sergeants or something. I could tell he was shocked by my question. I don't remember his exact words but I remember telling him "this is important to me." He must have believed me cause two or three hours later he called me back. He didn't have any details other than that you had been on duty following the collapse of the towers."  
  
"Before, during, and after they collapsed," I added.  
  
"It was a tragic day for a lot of families," she commented before looking at me, "But I'm grateful that you're okay."  
  
"I'm just glad ma wasn't alone," I added.  
  
"I like your mother," Nicole replied, a smile on her face. "To tell you the truth, I missed her.  
  
"Oh no, not the two of you."  
  
"What? I always liked your mother. At least she cares about you. I wish my mother showed half the concern for me as Angela does about you."  
  
"She worries too much."  
  
"She loves you Maurice."  
  
"Yeah...you two talked since then?"  
  
"No, not really," Nicole explained. "She's your mother. She and I being friends would only get complicated."  
  
I guess I understood what she was saying. What Nicole and I had was really just great sex. But she'd been there for ma and I owed her for that. If she wanted to be friends with ma, what could I say?  
  
So, ma and Nicole hung out with one another. She even spent Thanksgiving with ma and me. Her folks were off somewhere and ma didn't think she should spend the holiday alone. Dinner was great. I never knew Nicole could cook. Then again, the only time we spent in the kitchen didn't include cooking. The countertop and table maybe, but that's another story. Ma likes to think of Nicole as the daughter she never had. As long as it doesn't involve Nicole, the Justice of the Peace, and me well, that's okay by me. 


End file.
